Fiber tipped pen



1967 E. HECHTLE FIBER TIPPED PEN Filed June 25, 1965 INVENTOR. [MIA High 7Z5 United States Patent 3,353,899 FIBER TIPPED PEN Emil Hechtle, Oradell, N.J., assignor to Radiant Pen Corporation, Kenilworth, NJ. Filed June 23, 1965, Ser. No. 466,212 3 Claims. (Cl. 401198) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A fiber tip fountain pen having a removable tubular tip holder supporting a removable fiber tip with the tip holder provided with a stop for positioning the tip in writing position and an opening in the wall of the tubular tip holder for supplying ink from the pen to the tip.

This invention relates to a pen with a fiber tip and more particularly to a pen with an improved tip holder.

The fiber tip of the pen is usually indented to the holder to prevent the writing pressure from pushing the relatively soft tip into the body of the pen. Such retaining indentation usually results in reducing the tip cross-section thereby reducing the ink flow through the tip. Sometimes the indentation distorts the shape of the holder causing the barrel to split when the holder is inserted. Occasionally the indentation causes the tip to be frayed, damaging the tip itself.

Accordingly, an object of the invention is to provide a pen with a tip and holder that does not require indentation or compression; that does not have to be made of metal; that will positively prevent the tip from being pushed into the holder when the writing pressure is excessive, and that provides a better ink conduction from the barrel than compression holders used hitherto.

I accomplish these and other objects and obtain my new results as will be apparent from the device described in the following specification, particularly pointed out in the claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a longitudinally sectioned view of a pen barrel into which has been inserted a tip and holder showing the various features of the invention,

FIG. 2 is a longitudinally sectioned view of the holder,

FIG. 3 is an end elevation of the tip and holder,

FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the holder,

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectioned view taken in the plane 5-5 of FIG. 3 and in the direction of the arrows, and

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectioned view taken in the plane 6-6 of FIG. 1 and in the direction of the arrows.

Referring in greater detail to the drawing, a pen body 10 is shown in FIG. 1, provided with a neck portion 12 having an opening 14 in which is positioned a tubular holder 16 containing a tip member 18. The tip member may derive its ink supply from the ink saturated felt filler 20 with which it is in contact.

The holder 16 is characterized by a loop 22 which cradles under the tip providing a positive stop for the tip when inserted. The loop forms two open recesses 24 and 2-5 one on each lateral side of the holder, exposing the tip material throughout the length of the loop. The width of the legs of the loop is less than the diameter of the tip to facilitate this contact between tip and filler, not only for the length of the loop but across its bottom as shown in FIG. 4.

The bottom stop 26 of the loop is preferably pointed on its under surface, as at 28, to part the felt filler when the holder and tip is inserted, thereby minimizing the compression of the felt filler.

The sides of the loop 22 are reduced in diameter from the sides of the holder 16, as is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 to make easier insertion of the holder and tip into the felt filler.

3,353,899 Patented Nov. 21, 1967 A tapered head 30 is formed on exposed portion of the holder to streamline the head and to provide better visibility for writing. The tapered head is formed with a shoulder 32 which engages the edge 34 of the barrel allowing the holder to be force fitted into the opening 14 of the barrel from the outside, into the position shown. The tubular bore 36 into which the fibrous tip is positioned extends through the holder up to the stop 26 opening at recesses 24 and 25.

The tip, pointed for writing, is preferably made of a wear resistant ink absorbing material such as nylon fiber, compacted into shape retaining form, yet suitable for conducting the ink through the capillary interstices thereof, from the saturated felt filler forming the ink supply.

Pressure on the writing tip is resisted by the holder loop 22, thus the tip is always maintained in writing position and cannot be pushed ito the holder. Pressure will in fact increase the ink flow slightly.

Flats 38 are formed on the cylindrical sides of holder 16 to provide air vents with the cylindrical opening 14 of the neck 12 to equalize the inside air pressure and allow the ink to flow freely. Six equi-spaced tiny notches 40 are also formed on the edge 34 of the barrel to provide certain continuity of the air vents with the atmosphere regardless of the random positioning of the flat sides of the holder in the barrel.

Completing the barrel example, the felt filler is snugly seated in a supporting base 42 which tightly fits into the rear opening 44 of the barrel allowing installation of the felt filler up to the neck 12 of the barrel 10.

The tip holder may be inexpensively molded of plastic material such as low cost styrene, instead of the costly screw machine metal holder hitherto used. A styrene barrel is also possible instead of the costlier plastic barrel designed to resist splitting when a deformed metal holder is inserted.

As is shown in FIG. 1, the felt filler extends in the barrel 10 up to the neck portion 12. The tubular holder fits into the neck portion, with the loop 22 of lesser diameter formed at about the junction of neck portion, and the barrel 10. At this point the tubular holder penetrates the felt filler, for the full depth of the loop, providing a maximum ink contact and obtaining optimum ink flow.

Summarizing the advantage of the new tip holder: the use of inexpensive plastic in place of screw machine parts; possible use of styrene both for holder and barrel; loss of tip by excessive pressure now eliminated; loss of barrel by splitting now eliminated; ink flow no longer restricted due to pinching by indentation; pointed holder establishes good contact with the felt filler; tight fit be tween tip and holder eliminated; both difiicult and restricted ink flow and the cause of fiber fraying.

I have thus described my invention, but I desire it understood that it is not confined to the particular forms or uses shown and described, the same being merely illustrative, and that the invention may be carried out in other ways without departing from the spirit of my invention, and therefore I claim broadly the right to employ all equivalent instrumentalities coming within the scope of the appended claims, and by means of which objects of my invention are obtained and new results accomplished since the particular embodiment herein shown and described is only one of the many that can be employed to obtain these objects and accomplish these results.

I claim:

1. A pen having a tubular barrel containing an ink supply and terminating in a mouth; a separate tubular tip holder seated in said mouth and extending therein to the ink supply; a pointed tip made of ink absorbing material positioned in the tubular holder and removable therefrom; a stop on the holder for positively locating the tip in writing position, andanopening in the tubular tip holder for allowing the ink supply to be absorbed by the tip when in position in the holder, said opening being located between the stop and the mouth of the tubular holder, said barrel being vented by providing a space between the tip holder and the barrel.

2. The pen of claim 1 wherein that portion of the holder containing the opening is of lesser cross-section than the mouth of the tubular barrel.

3. The pen of claim 1, wherein the tubular holder is provided with a reduced cross-section to provide a space for a vent, and the tip holder is formed with a shoulder resting on the edge of the barrel, and a plurality of lateral openings are provided between the shoulder and the edge References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,140,009 12/1938 Hand 15563 3,003,181 10/1961 Rosenthal 15563 3,133,307 5/1964 Steinberg 61; al. 15-563 3,203,025 8/ 1965 Schreur l5-563 ROBERT W. MICHELL, Primary Examiner. 

1. A PEN HAVING A TUBULAR BARREL CONTAINING AN INK SUPPLY AND TERMINATING IN A MOUTH; A SEPARATE TUBULAR TIP HOLDER SEATED IN SAID MOUTH AND EXTENDING THEREIN TO THE INK SUPPLY; A POINTED TIP MADE OF INK ABSORBING MATERIAL POSITIONED IN THE TUBULAR HOLDER AND REMOVABLE THEREFROM; A STOP ON THE HOLDER FOR POSITIVELY LOCATING THE TIP IN WRITING POSITION, AND AN OPENING IN THE TUBULAR TIP HOLDER FOR ALLOWING THE INK SUPPLY TO BE ABSORBED BY THE TIP WHEN IN POSITION IN THE HOLDER, SAID OPENING BEING LOCATED BETWEEN THESTOP AND THE MOUTH OF THE TUBULAR HOLDER, SAID BARREL BEING VENTED BY PROVIDING A SPACE BETWEEN THE TIP HOLDER AND THE BARREL. 